Sectional desk organizer



1966 c. R. CHAMBERLIN 3,269,547

SECTIONAL DESK ORGANIZER Filed Decu14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l LEDGEZR &

I N VE N TOR. Coleman 7?. C/mmberlin Aug. 30, 1966 c, CHAMBERLIN 3,269,547

SECTIONAL DESK ORGANI ZER Filed Dec. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

lama/7 R Chamber/[l7 United States Patent 3,269,547 SECTIONAL DESK ORGANIZER Coleman R. Chamberlin, Thompson Ridge, N.Y. (P.O. Box 1266, New Windsor, Newburgh, N.Y.) Filed Dec. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 418,138 1 Claim. (Cl. 21111) This invention relates to shelf files and to an improvement over the shelf file disclosed in my Letters Patent Number 2,885,085.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shelf file that afi'ords flexibility tin the arrangement of the partition units or racks for supporting and filing objects therebetween.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf file with racks that are rigidly supported in upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shelf tile with racks that are securely and releasably mounted on the base.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shelf file with novel means for releasably securing the racks to the base.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claim in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf tile embodying one form of the invention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-.2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the shelf file with objects filed away between the racks, on a reduced scale.

'FIG. 4 is .a bottom perspective view of the shelf file, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a shelf file embodying a modified form of the invention, parts being shown disassembled and parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in assembled position.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a shelf file embodying one form of the invention and designated generally at 10. The shelf file 10 comprises a rectangular shaped plate-like base 12 formed of sheet metal. An upstanding flange 14 is formed on one long edge of the body of the base, and an inverted L-shaped flange .16 is formed on the opposite long edge, with one leg 18 of the flange extending inwardly. A cushioned fabric strip 20 is secured along the lower surface of the long edge mounting the flange 14 and a similar strip 22 is secured along the lower surface of the inwardly extending leg 18 of the flange 16. The strips are secured in position by adhesive 24.

In accordance with the invention, a closed slot or hole 26 is formed in the body of the base closely spaced from each end thereof and centrally of the body. Other pairs of closely spaced slots or holes 28, 28 .are formed along the center of the body in line with the end slots 26, the pairs of slots being in spaced relationship.

A plurality of rack units or partitions is securely and releasably supported in upright spaced position on the upper surface of the body of the base 12. The rack units are formed of round heavy wire stock.

"ice

The rack unit or partition 30 at one end of the body of the base, the end indicated at 32, is constructed differently from the rack units 34 positioned along the remainder of the base. The end rack unit 30 consists of spaced pairs of inverted substantially U-shaped wire members 36, 36, one leg 38 of each member 36, the inner leg as viewed in FIG. 1, being slanted downwardly and outwardly as indicated at 40 at the top end thereof, the bottom ends of the slanted portions 40 being in abutting relation and spot welded to each other as indicated at 42. The remaining portions of the legs, 38,38 extend downwardly in closely spaced relation with their bottom ends joined in the form of loops 44, forming extensions of the legs 38, 38. The bottom ends of the other legs 46, 46 of the wire members 36, 36 are integrally joined by horizontally disposed integral wires 50,, 50 forming the close-d bottom side ends of the rack unit 30. A closed rectangular-shaped wire subframe 52 is interposed between the bottom ends of the legs 38, 38 of the members 36, 36. The long sides of the subframe 52 are spot welded to the bottom loops 44 of the legs 38, 38 of the frames 36, 36 as indicated at 54. When the subframe 52 is thus secured, the loops 44, 44 extend below the subframe 52 as seen in FIG. 4.

The rack units or partitions 34 each consist of a pair of inverted substantially U-shaped wire members 56, 56, one leg 58 of each member 56 being slanted downwardly and outwardly as indicated at 60 at the top end thereof, the bottom ends of the slanted portions 60 being in abutting relation and spot welded as indicated at 62. The remaining portions of the legs 58 extend downwardly in closely spaced relation with their bottom ends joined in the form of a loop 64 forming an extension of said legs 58, the bottom ends of the other legs 66 of the wire members 56, 56 are integrally joined to a horizontally disposed inverted U-shaped frame 68, the frame 68 extending outwardly away from and disposed at right angles to the frame members 56, 56.

A closed rectangular-shaped wire subframe 70 is interposed between the bottom ends of the legs '58, 58 of the members 56, 56 and the bight portion 72 of the U-shaped frame 68, centrally of the bight portion. One long side of the subframe 70 is bent downwardly as viewed in FIG. 1, midway its ends, forming a loop 74. The long sides of the subframe 70 are spot welded to the bight portion 72 of the frame 68 and to the bottom loops 64 of the legs 58 of the frames 56 as indicated at 76 and 78, respectively. When the subframe 70 is thus secured, the loops 64 extend below the subframe 70 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4.

In assembling the rack units or partitions 30 and 34, the loops 44 on the bottom ends of legs 38 of rack unit 30 are inserted through the end slot 26 at end 32 and through the adjacent slot 28 of the pairs of slots 28. The loops 64 on the bottom ends of the legs 58 of the rack units 34 are inserted through the other end slot 26 and through the pairs of slots 28, all of the loops extending below the bottom surface of the body of the base 12 as best seen in FIG. 4. In order to secure releasably the rack units in place, an elongated locking wire rod 80 is threaded through the extending loops. One end of the rod 80 is formed with a bent portion serving as a handle '82 and adjacent to the handle the rod is formed with a bend 84 of sufiicient depth to engage the under surface of the body of the base and thereby press the body of the bar outwardly of the base into clamping engagement with the loops, releasably holding the rack units in upright operative position. By swinging the rod in the opposite direction, pressure is released from the loops and the rod may be withdrawn permitting disassembling of the rack units.

In use, when the base 12 is placed upon a supporting surface, the long side thereof mounting the flange 16 is slightlyhigher than the opposite long side so that the base is slightly tilted. The adjacent legs of the rack units define spaces or pockets 86 open at the sides and top for receiving and supporting objects, such as books 88 shown in FIG. 3. Of course, paper file folders or other objects might be place-d in the pockets and due to the tilting of the base, such objects tend to slide toward the side of the base mounting the flange 14 and are held against further movement by said flange. The fabric strips 20 and 22 prevent marring of the furniture.

The modified form of shelf file 10' shown in FIG. 5 differs merely from shelf file in the arrangement of the slots or holes formed in the center of the base 12. In file 10, the slots 84 are equally spaced along the center of the base. By reason of this arrangement of the slots, 2. flexibility in positioning the rack units is provided. For instance, the rack unit 30 might be mounted in any series of three spaced slots, for, example, the first and third slots from the end 32 as shown and the rack units 34 might be inserted in any series of three slots, for example, the eighth and tenth slots from end 32 as shown. The distance between the slots is such that each rack unit spans three slots.

In the modified form of shelf file 10a shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the slots 90 in base 12a are sufliciently wide to accommodate the loop 74a of the subframe 70a and the loop 64a of the adjacent rack unit 34a. In all other respects, the shelf file 10a is similar to shelf file 10 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

The cushioning strips 20 and 22 are of the same material and thickness and since the L-shaped flange 16 depends this gives additional height to the front edge of the base 12 so that the base slants down from the front edge to the rear edge and the upstanding flange 14 facilitates the position of the papers and books in the shelf file 10 and keeps them from sliding rearwardly due to general building or disk-support vibration and at the same time the slight slanting or incline of the base tends to keep them from sliding forwardly.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a device of the kind described, a rectangular shaped base having a series of spaced slots centrally thereof, a series of upstanding wire rack units arranged in spaced relation to the base, said rack units defining pockets open at the top and sides, one of said rack units having a U- shaped body including spaced pairs of inverted U-shaped frames with adjacent juxtaposed legs, said juxtaposed legs terminating in loops at the free ends thereof, a rectangular subframe interposed between the juxtaposed legs and being welded thereto, said loops protruding through adjacent slots at one end of the base, the remainder of the rack units each comprising a pair of inverted U-shaped frames, with adjacent juxtaposed legs, terminating in a loop at the free ends thereof, an integral U-shaped frame extending horizontally from the bottom ends of the other legs of the inverted U-shaped frame, and a rectangular shaped subframe interposed between the bight of said horizontal U-shaped frame and the bottom of the juxtaposed legs and welded to said legs and bight, one long side of the subframe being formed with a bend midway its ends, said loop and said bend extending through adjacent slots in the base and extending below the base, and means associated with said loops and bends for releasably locking the rack units to the base, said locking means comprising a removable wire bar removably extending through the loops and bends, said bar having a bend intermediate its ends movable into pressing engagement with the base and clamping the rack units securely to the base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,674,359 6/1928 Frey 211-43 X 1,827,296 10/1931 McKnight 129-46 2,083,050 6/1937 Chamberlin et al. 129--l6 2,249,548 7/1941 Swimmer 129l6 2,646,801 7/1953 Chamberlin 21111 X 2,885,085 5/1959 Chamberlin 2l110 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

R. P. SEI'ITER, Assistant Examiner. 

